MOILA SWALLET
30.776900,77.787200
Description
A »swallet« (note 1) or sinkhole entrance on Moila Tibba (Moila Hill) north-west of the Budher Forest Rest House, is the first site in India which suffered visits by sports cavers. SITUATION 1894: »The hills north of Chakrata for 20 miles are composed of limestone which, owing to its solubility in water, has given rise to caves and underground streams, the latter running only during and after rain. The mountain known as Moila, near Bodyar, is one of these hills. The summit is an undulating grassy area, altitude 9,000 ft [2'743 m asl]. This area includes a number of large conical depressions [dolines], some of which lead at the bottom to well-like holes of great depth. At the bottom of one depression there was a hole about 3 ft in diameter … [note 2]« (B. B. Osmaston 1894 Mss: Diaries.- in OSMASTON 1977, 1999: 56). SITUATION 1898: »In a hollow at the foot of a small cliff or ridge« (GLEADOW, F 1898 / 1940). SITUATION 1942.1: »The third cave South [on Moila Hill], Moila Pot, is a cave also situated very similarly to … Moila Ruckle Hole« (Leakey 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves, sheet 1). SITUATION 1942.2: About »1/2 mile« (0.8 km) from –>Toad Hole and »150 yds« (137 m) from –>Moila Ruckle Hole (Leakey 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves, sheet 2). SITUATION 1945.1: TURK, F A 1945a: 38; 1945b: 202) had learned that the »Cave of Moila Swallet … accompanied by no other data« lies somewhere in Bundelkhand (note 3). SITUATION 1945.2 »The full description of the locality should be Moila Swallet, height 8700 feet, Chakrata Tahsil, Dehra Dun District, United Provinces, India« (Glennie, E A 1945.08.05 Mss "Letter to Frank A. Turk" in: TURK, F A 1945c: 420). SITUATION 1951: From »Bodyar [Budher] Forest Rest House [the cave entrance] … is reached by a mile [one or two kilometres] walk along a path that rises 200 ft [60 m] to a series of grassy knolls that dominate the locality« (LEAKEY, R D 1955). SITUATION 1969: »In the limestone hills at Bodiah [Budher], some 14 miles [22.5 km along the mule path] from the cantonment of Chakrata« (GIBSON 1969: 85). POSITION 1972: 30°46'36.5”N: 77°47'09.2”E: 2691 m asl (WGS84) modified from 30°46'37”N: 77°47'14”E: 8'830 ft. »Moila 1« (Everest 1830, Glennie, E A circa 1972 s.a. Mss: Particulars: Moila 1). SITUATION 1972 / 2015: »India: Uttarakhand: Dehra Dun: Chakrata Taksil: Moila cave, 8830 ft. alt., 30°46'37”N, 77°47'14”E« (GRISMADO, C J et al. 1015: 23). »India: Uttarakhand: Dehra Dun: Chakrata Taksil: Moila cave, 2691 m, N 30.77694°, E 77.78722°« (GRISMADO, C J et al. 1015: 104). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1888: NOT SEEN: Osmaston, B B (1888 - 1922 Mss): Diaries. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1894.1: »… a hole about 3 ft in diameter leading downwards. On crawling into this hole, I found it gave access to a large passage which was, of course, pitch dark, so I had to postpone further explorations. A few days later I returned with a hurricane lantern, a rope and a ball of string. The passage penetrated some considerable distance into the hill, always downwards. As I progressed in the dim light of the lantern I suddenly found I was on the edge of a deep hole which went vertically downwards, and by letting down the lantern I saw it was about 16 ft [4.88 m] deep. A piece of wood which had been washed down was lying in the passage and this I placed across the hole and threw the rope over it, and by its aid reached the bottom. It led into quite a large room. I carried on down a gently sloping passage but had not gone very far when I came on another hole in the floor. The lantern was lowered and went down and down with no bottom, even the sides of the huge cavern could not be seen without a brighter light. At least the bottom was reached at 80 ft [24.4 m]. Further exploration was impossible without a ladder, so I left the cave and returned to Chakrata where I raised an exploration party consisting of the Military Works Engineer (a Major R. E.) 3 officers of the South Wales Borderers and myself. The R.E. officer promised to provide a suitable ladder 80 ft. in length to enable us all to reach the bottom of the lower cavern. [3rd excursion] The day fixed for the exploration was August 7th. This, as it proved, was unwise. We should have waited until the end of the rainy season, as the drainage of a fairly large area on the top of the hill went straight down the hole which gave access to our cave. However, the day was fine when we started down, and we left men behind to pass on word in case heavy rain came on. We soon reached the top of the 80 ft drop, and our new rope ladder was lowered. We had much better lighting now and the vast dimensions of the cavern became apparent. Our ladder hung down the centre of the cave, far from any side wall. We went down one by one. The descent was not altogether pleasant or easy but we all safely reached the bottom. The ladder had unfortunately been made a little too short, so we had to drop the last few feet. Now we began to explore. Among stalactites and stalagmites we found bones which had been washed down from above. On one side there was a passage leading on and down but as it was blocked by a mass of fallen rock we could go no further. It was strange to look up and see a little light and one or two heads peering down at us through the 3 ft. hole up in the roof of our cave 80 ft above us. Suddenly we heard cries from above – "Barish shuru hogaya" (Rain has begun), and shortly after "Pani ata hai" (The water is coming) so we knew it was high time to be moving. Climbing up an 80 ft. rope ladder hanging free is a very difficult thing from coming down, as we all found out. To begin with to climb onto the ladder was no easy matter, and Major P. of the S.W. Borderers, after several unsuccessful efforts, begged us to leave him, though this would probably meant his death, as water was now pouring down from above, and the cold water was bitter. Two of us descended and with considerable difficulty succeeded in getting Major P. onto the ladder which he managed to climb slowly up to the top. This climb would have been hard work at any time, but owing to the rain which was falling outside we had a fair sized waterfall pouring in through the hole and playing down on us throughout the whole climb. Looking back on the adventure I am surprised that no-one slipped off the ladder, the rungs being wet and slippery and our hands numbed with the cold. However we all reached the top in safety and congratulated each other on our escape from the watery grave« (Osmaston, B. B. 1894 in OSMASTON, G. H. 1969: 83). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1894.2 Not seen: Osmaston, B B 1894 in OSMASTON, G H (1977). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1894.3: »… a hole about 3 ft in diameter leading downwards. On crawling into this hole, I found it gave access to a larger passage which was of course pitch dark, so I had to postpone further explorations. A few days later I returned with a hurricane lantern, a rope and a ball of string. The passage penetrated some considerable distance into the hill, always downwards. As I progressed in the dim light of the lantern, I suddenly found I was on the edge of a deep hole which went vertically downwards, and by letting down the lantern I saw it was about 16 ft [4.88 m] deep. A piece of wood which had been washed down was lying in the passage and this I placed across the hole and tying the rope to it I soon got down to the bottom. This proved to be quite a large room, 16 ft in height. Having examined the room, I carried on down a gently sloping passage, but had not gone very far when I came on another hole in the floor. The lantern was lowered again and went down and down with no apparent bottom, and the sides of the huge cavern could not be seen without a brighter light. At last at 80 ft [24.4 m] the bottom was reached. Further exploration was impossible without a ladder, so I left the cave and returned to Chakrata where I raised an exploration party consisting of the Military Works Engineer (a Major R. E.), three officers of the South Wales Borderers Regiment and myself. The R.E. Officer promised to provide a suitable rope ladder 80 ft in length to enable us all to reach the bottom of the lower cavern. The day fixed for the expedition was August 7th. This, as it proved, was unwise. We should have waited until the end of the rainy season, as the drainage of a fairly large area on the top of the hill went straight down the hole which gave access to our cave. However the day was fine when we started down and we left men behind to pass on the word in case heavy rain should come on. We soon reached the top of the 80 ft drop, and our new rope ladder was lowered. We had much better lighting now and the vast dimensions of the cavern became apparent. Our ladder hung down the centre of the cave, far from any side wall. We went down one by one, the descent being not altogether pleasant or easy but we all safely reached the bottom. The ladder had unfortunately been made a little too short, so we had to drop the last few feet. Now we began to explore and among stalactites and stalagmites we found bones which had been washed down from above. On one side there was a passage leading out but, as it was blocked by a mass of fallen rock, we could go no further. It was strange to look up and see a tiny light far above and one or two heads peering down at us through the hole in the roof of our cave. Suddenly we heard cries from above "Barish shuru hogaya" (Rain has begun) and shortly after "Pani ata hai" (The water is coming) so we knew it was high time to be moving. Climbing up an 80 ft [24.4 m] rope ladder which is hanging free is a very different thing from coming down, as we all soon found out. To begin with, to climb on to the ladder was no easy matter, and Major P. of the S.W. Borderers, after several unsuccessful attempts begged us to leave him, though this would probably meant his death as water was now pouring down from above and the cold water was bitter. Two of us descended and with considerable difficulty succeeded in getting the Major on to the ladder which he then managed to climb slowly up to the top. This climb would have been hard enough at any time but, owing to the rain which was falling outside, we had a fair sized waterfall pouring in through the hole and playing down on us on the way up. Looking back at the adventure, I am surprised that no one slipped off the ladder, the rungs being wet and slippery and our hands numbed with the cold. However we all reached the top in safety and congratulated each other on our escape from the watery grave« (Osmaston, B B 1894 in OSMASTON, H A 1999: 56-57, plates 5 and 6). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1898: GLEADOW, F (1898 / 1940) observed a »drainage« (note 4) covering an area of estimated 10 acres (40'468 square metre or 0.04 square km) going »… down what would be her gullet, if it stood alone in this business, but there are several competitors. One or two of these are more or less marked by dirt and debris. … [there is another] nearly vertical hole, not plumbed [perhaps –>Moila Ruckle Pot] … The cave we examined [Moila Swallet] is a vertically semicircular opening in a hollow at the foot of a small cliff or ridge. The rock is a Deoban limestone, or a similar rock containing included fragments which is found in the Mundali series … The entrance is low and necessitates a stooping attitude, the passage enters straight for some yards and then turn left, or West, leaving a blind branch on the right. Next there is a choice between two courses, an upper and a lower. The lower means simply crawling under a rock, with the possible loss of waistcoat buttons and of portions of cuticle from the scalp and shoulders. The upper means climbing over a ridge and results in the discovery of a high chamber, up which it is possible, by the aid of suckers on one's feet and hands, to climb to some height. There is no object in doing this, for we took all the stalactites and the stalagmites that were worth having, and a lot that were not. Both these courses unite immediately, and the passage now develops into a large vertical fissure with a floor about 4 feet [1.2 m] wide. There is here another blind branch ascending to the right and it is rather curious. The branch is at first wide and high, but suddenly the wall comes down to the ground in front, leaving a slit about 10 inches [0.30 m] or a foot high. There is a little window, but no glass in it, and visitors are allowed to put their heads through, but no more. We laid ourselves out very flat and passed beneath with a certain amount of grunting. Once inside, we imagined ourselves in one of the towers of a mediaeval castle, for we were in a circular or polygonal space, with vertical walls extending to a considerable height, and the resemblance was completed by a few signs of bats. We might have lived here for a month without paying any rent, which was a great temptation to good Oirishmen like ourselves, but our friends were waiting, an operation they eventually became quite expert at. On this occasion our party consisted of Capt. and Mrs. B., my friend B. B. [Bertram Beresford] Osmaston, I.F.S. [Indian Forest Service] and self… B.B.O. led… a ledge above a chasm [note 5] … 20 feet [6 m] deep and shallow pool at the bottom… B.B.O. went down like a monkey… [second drop, not descended, lantern reached bottom 80 feet = 24.4 m below]… The natives say that no man has ever been inside, but [report a fictive tunnel proved by] two dead sheep, taking fortune at the flood, once ventured in, and their horns, or sausages, or something, came out in the Bhingar nala; but that locality is a thousand feet or two [300 to 600 m] lower down, and I hope it is not true, or our 80-feet ladder will not be much good.« CAVE DESCRIPTION 1939: Glennie, Edward Aubrey (1939 Mss: Preliminery (sic!) report to the British Speleological Association by the Regional Recorder, India and Burma.- pages 5-6): »[note 6] The entrance is very like that of Swildon's Hole [Swindon's Hole?].The stream flows into a small opening at the foot of an outcrop of rock. Except during rains the stream is dry, but in a tropical storm bringing 2 or 3 inches [5 or 7.5 cm] of rain in an hour a muddy torrent must rush in completely covering the entrance which is about 2.5 feet [0.75 m] high and 3 feet [0.9 m] wide. The stream way continues North on the bedding plane which has a slight Northerly dip, for about 100 feet [30 m], the average section being about 4.5 feet [1.35 m] high and 5 feet [1.5] wide, then it drops down a 20 feet [6.1 m] pot at the entrance of a fine chamber with very fine formations [speleothems]. The pot occupies the west half of the floor of this chamber into which it has evidently been cut back. Descending the pot, there is a small pool at the bottom and the sides are hollowed out and well sculptured by water action. The bottom of the pot is about 10 feet [3 m] and 20 feet [6 m] long and at the end a narrow fissure about 15 feet long [4.6 m] opens in the floor and the whole chamber narrows in over this with fine bat's wing pendents from the roof. Traversing the top of the fissure, there is a slight curve to the west opening into a stupendous water cared rift way about 10 feet [3 m] wide and over 200 feet [61 m] deep. I had a very powerful torch but quite failed to see the bottom. A log of wood dropped over it hit the bottom about 4 seconds later with an echoing boom (I had no watch to time it accurately). This cave was visited by a Forest Officer, Fergus Wood now deceased, and he told me, about 10 years ago, that he let down a lamp 300 feet [91.5 m] on a string without finding the bottom. [On the surface above the cave] The rift strikes North, and 200 yards [180 m] away to the north is a 250 cliff followed by a steep slope for another 2000 feet [610 m] drop in elevation. There are no springs until the bottom and these always give clear water. The water which goes roaring down this cave and the other sink holes nearby must be held up in some great master caves below [note 7], must leave behind all their silt and debris, and then percolate through to these springs. The waterway probably drops 1500 feet [460 m] within a distance of a quarter of a mile [400 m]. Obviously this is a dream of delight for Yorkshire Potholers but not my style at all. There is an interesting upper series above the pot with no indication that it ever flooded. This would be seen at once by deposited drift wood and mud. Both floor and walls are clear calcite formations. There are pendant stalactites, columns and a multitude of anemolites [note 8]. Spiders, millipedes, collembola and one beetle were found. There is a long narrow passage which leads to a squeeze and then opens up again. I have not passed this yet, but I think it is possible and will try on my next visit. It seemed to bear west and probably enters the great rift beyond its present beginning.« CAVE DESCRIPTION 1940: »… a large cave with a very small entry. […] From the bottom of the main pot there were several small tunnels which might have led into other caves but all became too small to penetrate for more than five or six yards, after which you had to undulate backwards, a process during which I found myself apt to suffer from claustrophobia« (Jack Gibson 1940 January in GIBSON, J 1969: 85). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1942: »A low entrance leads to about 60 ft. [18.3 m] of passage terminating at the head of a 20 ft. [6.1 m] pitch and then an 80 ft. [24.4 m] pitch while on the R.H. side above the pitches is an old high level passage of about 45 ft [13.7 m] with stalagmite and anemolite [note 8 again] formations [speleothems]. The 80 ft. pitch is to the bottom of a large chamber about 30 ft. [9.15 m] wide and 60 ft. [18.3 m] long, with about 70 ft. [21.3 m] of passage leading round and back at the far end« (Leakey, R D 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1944: GLENNIE (1944b) gives a cave plan and two longitudinal sections of Moila Swallet (note 9). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1951: »The entrance is a small cave at the bottom of a depression which leads into a stream bed. On the right, close to the entrance, are some low crawls where foul air was found. One hundred feet [about 30 m] of passage leads to a twenty foot [6 m] drop into a chamber, the roof of which can be traversed about one hundred and twenty feet [36.6 m] in two opposite directions along smallish passages which contain a few formations including some anemolites. One edge of this chamber floor opens into the roof of the great rift, with its bottom ninety feet [27.4 m] below. The height of the roof is about hundred and sixty feet [estimated 50 m or so] and the width at floor level in all directions averages about one hundred feet [30 m]. From the rift opposite the ladder a passage runs for three hundred feet [90] to terminate in an aven, half way along this a passage loops back on the left to a hole under the edge of the main chamber« (LEAKEY, R D 1955: 59). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1969: »The surface hole was quite insignificant but led inside to a gently sloping passage, quite easy to walk along with electric torches for light. Eventually a rift in the floor led us down a drop 15 ft. into the first narrow chamber, at the far end was another small hole in the floor. This, of course, was the entry in the roof of the enormous main cavern 86 ft. deep. […] a very small tunnel leading from one corner of the floor … twisted most awkwardly and it was only by extraordinary contortions that we could get along at all. Eventually we turned back having explored as far as we could« (OSMASTON, Gordon H 1969: 83-84). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2006: »The cave [–>Budher Cave, Gole 2001] near Chakrata is a limestone cave [containins] some well-developed stalactites and stalagmites. It has a small opening and you could drag yourself in up to a distance of roughly 25 metres. After that there is a deep hole like that of a well. The depth may be more than 100 metres. Because of this hole one cannot penetrate what lies beyond« (Gole, Prakash 2006.01.20
NOTE 1: Swallet is a term used mainly in the Mendip Hills (United Kingdom of Great Britain and the rest), and derived from swallow hole (synonym for the US American English sinkhole): A point where all or part of a surface stream disappears underground. Some definitions restrict its use to sink points in closed depressions (any karst hollow with internal drainage) or dolines: Circular closed depression, either saucer-shaped, conical or in some cases cylindrical. The name originates from the Slovene term for a valley, where in the Classical Karst there are no true valleys but only closed basins. Dolines may form by dissolution, collapse, or a combination of these, keyed to a central sinkhole or intercepted cave passage. They are ubiquitous features of limestone karst, but can form in or above any soluble rock; subsidence dolines are developed in insoluble sediment leached or collapsed into an underlying cavernous limestone (LOWE & WALTHAM 1995: 13, 35). NOTE 2: OSMASTON, B. B. (edited by Gordon H. Osmaston & Henry A. Osmaston 1999, between plates 5 and 6) provides a location map and the cave plan and cross section adapted from GLENNIE (1944b) with annotations and a bibliography. NOTE 3: »In the papers refered to [TURK 1945a, 1945b] … the locality of the Cave of Moila Swallet is given as Bundelkhand. This was so recorded because the specimens were sent to me from Monghyr [Munger N25°23': E086°28' Bihar] and were accompanied by no other data than the name of the cave. In a letter dated 5. viii. 45, Brigadier E. A. Glennie, the discoverer of these forms [not of cave: of arthropoda] points out that this is an error and that the full description [sic! mock: Hah! Hah!] of the locality should be Moila Swallet, height 8700 feet, Chakrata Tahsil, Dehra Dun District, United Provinces, India« (TURK 1945c: 420). NOTE 4: Gleadow uses the term "drainage" to designate an obvious basin (headwaters) or funnel (closed depression) draining surface water straight into that cave entrance which humans can enter.NOTE 5: Chasm, a deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface. Origin (late 16th century), denoting an opening up of the sea or land, as in an earthquake, from "chasma" (Latin) from "khasma" (Greek, gaping hollow). In speleogy »a deep, fairly narrow breach in the earth's surface; an abyss; a gorge; a deep canyon. 2. A deep, wide, elongated gap in the floor of a cave« (MONROE 1970 / 1972: 6).NOTE 6: This "report" looks like resulting from one of Glennie's earliest attempts to explore a cave on his own and without following somebody who had been there previously. The cave dimensions reported are based on emmotions and impressions reflecting enthusiasm that carries Glennie to describe in addition to visited caves passages many he wishfully hoped for.Glennie, unawares of becoming a British legend of vertical caving, expresses a rather ambivalent approach towards the gigantic vertical drops he expected: »Obviously this is a dream of delight for Yorkshire Potholers but not my style at all.« On the other hand, it is interesting to see that Glennie even then had observed cave fauna as he pointed out that »spiders, millipedes, collembola and one beetle were found.« NOTE 7: Master cave: A low level trunk passage streamway cave with many tributaries. The French equivalent, "collecteur", is more descriptive of the master cave's true role. The depth to a currently active master cave is dictated by interactions between local topography, stratigraphical factors and geological structure (LOWE & WALTHAM 1995: 24). NOTE 8: »Anemolite. Synonym for helictite. The word's derivation relates to the wind-control theory of helictite formation« (LOWE & WALTHAM 1995: 3). NOTE 9: The orientation qualities of Brigadier E. A. Glennie are illustrated in a narrative according to which he had invested efforts in the removal of »clay in a small tube passage which I excavated for about fifty feet [15 m]. This passage led out of a side passage about 100 feet from the entrance« (GLENNIE, E A 1969: 107) NOTE 10: »The following species of Diplopods have been recorded as being cavernicolous in the Indian area: Kronopolites unicolor Attems, Glyphiulus cavernicolus Silvestri, Trachyiulus mimus Silvestri, Crambalomorpha feæ Pocock. None of these belong to the family Vanhoefeniidæ, and, in fact, this family was brought forward as Indian by Carl 1932. For the most part Indian members of this family occur at altitudes abover 1500 metres, and are characteristic forms of the Sholas« (TURK, F A 1945a: 38). NOTE 11: »The enigmatic genus Dysderoides was described by Fage (1946) for D. typhlos, a blind oonopid found in Moila Cave, in northern India, currently situated in Uttarakhand state. … Interestingly, in the same paper describing Dysderoides, Fage described another oonopid species from Moila Cave: Triaeris glenniei, represented only by the single female holotype. As it was found in Platnick et al. (2012d: 3) for many species listed incorrectly in that genus, this species differs greatly from the type species T. stenaspis, and is here transferred to Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco, 1934 (see below)« (GRISMADO, C J et al. 2014: 3).
Documents
Bibliography 27/04/2016- Bagnall, Richard S 1947; Condé, Bruno 1956; Courbon, Paul & Chabert, Claude 1986, 1989; Craven, Stephen A 1969, 1971; Fage, Louis 1946; Gibson, Jack 1969; Gleadow, F 1898, 1940; Glennie, Edward Aubrey 1940b, 1944a, 1944c, 1945, 1947, 1952b, 1969; Grismado, Cristian J, Deeleman-reinhold, Christa L; Piacentini, Luis N.; Izquierdo, Matías Andrés; Ramírez, Martín J 2014; Juberthie, Christian & Decu, Vasile 1998; Larwood, Henry J C 1946; Leakey, Robert D 1946c, 1955; Lindberg, Knut 1960; Martyn, Mady 1985; Osmaston, Bertram Beresford 1894 (edited by Osmaston Gordon H 1977; edited by Osmaston, Gordon H & Osmaston, Henry A 1999); Osmaston, Gordon H 1969; Salmon, J T 1959; Shipton, Eric 1969a; Turk, Frank A 1945a, 1945b, 1945c, 1946, 1947, 1948.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: Known to local hunters and shepherds since time immemorial. 1894 June: Bertram Beresford Osmaston (1868-1961) of the Imperial Forest Service »discovered« Moila Swallet (OSMASTON, Gordon H. 1977 edited by OSMASTON Henry A.: 1999: 56-58).1894.07(?): B. B. Osmaston and F. Gleadow returned »a few days later« equipped with a hurricane lantern, a rope and a ball of string, descended the first 6m drop to a lip at the head of what appeared to be a 80 feet [about 25 m] deep pitch. 1894.08.07: B. B. Osmaston visited the cave for the third time, this time equipped with unspecified »better lights« (unspecified), ropes and a 80 feet (24.4 m long) of flexible rope ladder (provided by one Military Works Engineer »Major R. E.«), helped by unidentified »Indians« and accompanied Captain and a certain Mrs. »B.« (Beazely?) and three Military Works officers of the South Wales Borderers Regiment (including one Major P.) and bottomed the actually deep pitch (GLEADOW 1898 edited 1940; Osmaston, B. B. in OSMASTON, G. H. 1969: 83, 1977; in: OSMASTON, H. A. 1999: 56-58, plates 5, 6). 1929 (ca): Fergus Wood is said to have visited (Glennie, E. A. 1939 Mss: Preliminery report … page 6): »This cave was visited by a Forest Officer, Fergus Wood now deceased, and he told me, about 10 years ago, that he let down a lamp 300 feet [91.5 m] on a string without finding the bottom.« 1939 (05?): Edward Aubrey Glennie re-discovered Moila Swallet (OSMASTON, G. H. 1969: 83) and Moila Ruckle Pot (Glennie 1939 Mss: Preliminery report). 1939 (07?): E. A. Glennie and Gordon H. OSMASTON (1969), assisted by »half a dozen Indians who had already been taught what to expect and were willing helpers« descended using rope ladders, climbing rope and "electric torches" (flash lights): »The ladder was then let down through the hole to its full extend of 90 ft [27.4 m] and reached the floor at the bottom. Aubrey, I'm sure, went down first, with a safety line round his waist held by 2 or 3 of his sturdy henchmen. […] Aubrey spent some time sucking up tiny insects and other small living things into bottles. […] On subsequent occasions, Aubrey … continued this exploration, and with compass and tape actually plotted out the course of all the exit tunnels from the bottom, and then made a comprehensive plan of the whole cave.« 1939.11.06: E. A. Glennie (after BAGNALL 1947: 640: legat »6. xi. 39 E. A. Glennie«) collected »a large Onychiurid which is quite unlikely any diagnosed form« which BAGNALL (1947: 638-639) described as »Spelaphorura glenniei, gen. et sp. nov., from a Himalayan cave« called »Moila Swallet, near Chikrata [sic!] … a cave at c. 9000 feet.« 1940.01 Glennie took the photographer Jack Gibson (Doon School teacher), John Martyn (principal of Doon School, Dehra Dun), the mountaineers Peter Mott, Eric Shipton and Michael Spender to Moila Swallet (GIBSON 1969: 85; MARTYN 1985; SHIPTON 1969a). 1941 Glennie took Jack Gibson (photographer, Doon School teacher) and a party of some 20 boys from Doon School to Moila Swallet (GIBSON 1969: 85, photographs on plates facing pages 84, 85, 86). 1942.10.06: Glennie (1942.10.05-19 Mss: Diary) with an unidentified "Geoffrey", Mary Hazelton, R. D. Leakey, A. E. Leydon, a certain "Wheeler" (?) and unidentified "coolies" (porters), chail saprassies, etc: »In the morning to Moila Swallet. Down Great Pot, and tried chimney climb, closes no way on. Went through the three squeezes & up boulder fall & proved that it lead [leads?] back into Great Pot. Hence the down passage is probably the way on down & not possible. Lunch and some excavation in Drainpipe, then on to new cave« which is –>Toad Hole. 1942.10.08: Glennie (1942.10.05-19 Mss: Diary) and friends »Got off lazily in the morning and arrived at Frog Pot about 11 am. Decided to ladder it & go down after lunch, so […] did one spell of excavation in Drainpipe of Moila Swallet and Leakey did one spell. Much gas comes out of earth dimming candles but as passage runs down to opening it clears very quickly, there is a very faint draft [sic! for: draught, air current] down the cave from the explored end. Section increases at bend and work is now easier should get through in 3 or 4 more spells of 20 minutes.« 1942.10.11: Glennie (1942.10.05-19 Mss: Diary) »… continued Drainpipe, advanced about 5 ft. [and arrived at reckoning that it] evidently leads to low bedding chamber with mud floor all over. Much gas and retreated thrice, decided no likelihood of extension so stopped at lunch time and went into Lower Moila Swallet …« 1943 May: Glennie collected cave life from Moila Swallet (Browning, F. 1946.10.04; TURK 1945b). 1944.02.05: Glennie has caved "alone" (with unidentified coolies and chail saprassies), with Robert D. Leakey, and with E. J. Douglas (Glennie 1944.02.05 Mss: untitled, GLENNIE 1944b). 1944.10.25: Glennie collected two female and one immature specimen of Metella crispa (Browning, F. 1946.10.04). 1946.10: Glennie collected one female specimen of Metella crispa (Browning, F. 1946.10.04).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | MOILA SWALLETS (Glennie 1946) | ||
| 0.2 | MOILA RUCKLE HOLE | ||
| 0.2 | MOILA MINE | ||
| 0.2 | BUDHER CAVE, Kotlia | ||
| 0.4 | MOILA CEDAR POT | ||
| 0.4 | MOILA TOAD HOLE | ||
| 1.5 | MASAK VILLAGE POTHOLE | ||
| 1.7 | Royal Artillery Sink | ||
| 1.8 | BHIAR DHAR |